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Introduction/aims: Fatigue (subjective perception) and fatigability (objective motor performance worsening) are relevant aspects of disability in individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The effect of nusinersen on fatigability in SMA patients has been investigated with conflicting results. We aimed to evaluate this in adult with SMA3., Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study, including adult ambulant patients with SMA3, data available on 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE) at baseline and at least at 6 months of treatment with nusinersen. We investigated fatigability, estimated as 10% or higher decrease in walked distance between the first and sixth minute of the 6MWT, at baseline and over the 14-month follow-up., Results: Forty-eight patients (56% females) were included. The 6MWT improved after 6, 10, and 14 months of treatment (p < 0.05). Of the 27 patients who completed the entire follow-up, 37% improved (6MWT distance increase ≥30 m), 48.2% remained stable, and 14.8% worsened (6MWT distance decline ≥30 m). Fatigability was found at baseline in 26/38 (68%) patients and confirmed at subsequent time points (p < 0.05) without any significant change over the treatment period. There was no correlation between fatigability and SMN2 copy number, sex, age at disease onset, age at baseline, nor with 6MWT total distance and baseline HFMSE score., Discussion: Fatigability was detected at baseline in approximately 2/3 of SMA3 walker patients, without any correlation with clinical features, included motor performance. No effect on fatigability was observed during the 14-month treatment period with nusinersen., (© 2024 The Author(s). Muscle & Nerve published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare degenerative disorder with loss of motor neurons caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. Nusinersen, an antisense oligonucleotide, was approved for SMA treatment to compensate the deficit of the encoded protein SMN by modulating the pre-mRNA splicing of SMN2, the centromeric homologous of SMN1, thus inducing the production of a greater amount of biologically active protein. Here, we reported a 10-month transcriptomics investigation in 10 adult SMA who received nusinersen to search for early genetic markers for clinical monitoring. By comparing their profiles with age-matched healthy controls (HC), we also analyzed the changes in miRNA/mRNAs expression and miRNA-target gene interactions possibly associated with SMA. A multidisciplinary approach of HT-NGS followed by bioinformatics/biostatistics analysis was applied. Within the study interval, those SMA patients who showed some clinical improvements were characterized by having the SMN2/SMN1 ratio slightly increased over the time, while in the stable ones the ratio decreased, suggesting that the estimation of SMN2/SMN1 expression may be an early indicator of nusinersen efficacy. On the other hand, the expression of 38/147 genes/genetic regions DE at T0 between SMA and HC like TRADD and JUND resulted "restored" at T10. We also confirmed the dysregulation of miR-146a(-5p), miR-324-5p and miR-423-5p in SMA subjects. Of interest, miR-146a-5p targeted SMN1, in line with experimental evidence showing the key role of astrocyte-produced miR-146a in SMA motor neuron loss. Molecular pathways such as NOTCH, NF-kappa B, and Toll-like receptor signalings seem to be involved in the SMA pathogenesis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Due to poor data in literature, we aimed to investigate the respiratory function in a large cohort of naïve Italian adult (≥18 years) SMA patients in a multi-centric cross-sectional study. The following respiratory parameters were considered: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV). We included 145 treatment-naïve adult patients (SMA2=18, SMA3=125; SMA4=2), 58 females (40 %), with median age at evaluation of 37 years (range 18-72). Fifty-six (37 %) and 41 (31 %) patients had abnormal (<80 %) values of FVC and FEV1, respectively. Fourteen (14 %) patients needed NIV, started at median age of 21 (range 4-68). Motor function, measured by Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded and Revised Upper Limb Module as well as SMA2, loss of walking ability, surgery for scoliosis, use of NIV, and cough assisting device (CAD) were all significantly associated to lower FVC and FEV1 values, while no association with age at baseline, disease duration, gender or 6 min walking test was observed, except for a correlation between FVC and age in SMA3 walkers (p < 0.05). In conclusion, respiratory function in adult SMA patients is relatively frequently impaired, substantially stable, and significantly correlated with motor function and disease severity., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors do not declare any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence their work., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Approximately 80-96% of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) become unable to speak during the disease progression. Assessing upper and lower motor neuron impairment in bulbar regions of ALS patients remains challenging, particularly in distinguishing spastic and flaccid dysarthria. This study aimed to evaluate acoustic voice parameters as useful biomarkers to discriminate ALS clinical phenotypes. Triangular vowel space area (tVSA), alternating motion rates (AMRs), and sequential motion rates (SMRs) were analyzed in 36 ALS patients and 20 sex/age-matched healthy controls (HCs). tVSA, AMR, and SMR values significantly differed between ALS and HCs, and between ALS with prevalent upper (pUMN) and lower motor neuron (pLMN) impairment. tVSA showed higher accuracy in discriminating pUMN from pLMN patients. AMR and SMR were significantly lower in patients with bulbar onset than those with spinal onset, both with and without bulbar symptoms. Furthermore, these values were also lower in patients with spinal onset associated with bulbar symptoms than in those with spinal onset alone. Additionally, AMR and SMR values correlated with the degree of dysphagia. Acoustic voice analysis may be considered a useful prognostic tool to differentiate spastic and flaccid dysarthria and to assess the degree of bulbar involvement in ALS.

Background and Purpose: The previous studies described phenotype-associated imaging findings in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with a prior categorization of patients based on clinical characteristics. We investigated the natural segregation of patients through a radiologic cluster-based approach without a priori patient categorization using 3 well-known prognostic MR imaging biomarkers in ALS, namely bilateral precentral and paracentral gyrus cortical thickness and medulla oblongata volume. We aimed to identify clinical/prognostic features that are cluster-associated., Materials and Methods: Bilateral precentral and paracentral gyri and medulla oblongata volume were calculated using FreeSurfer in 90 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 25 healthy controls. A 2-step cluster analysis was performed using precentral and paracentral gyri (averaged pair-wise) and medulla oblongata volume., Results: We identified 3 radiologic clusters: 28 (31%) patients belonged to "cluster-1"; 51 (57%), to "cluster 2"; and 11 (12%), to "cluster 3." Patients in cluster 1 showed statistically significant cortical thinning of the analyzed cortical areas and lower medulla oblongata volume compared with subjects in cluster 2 and cluster 3, respectively. Patients in cluster 3 exhibited significant cortical thinning of both paracentral and precentral gyri versus those in cluster 2, and this latter cluster showed lower medulla oblongata volume than cluster 3. Patients in cluster 1 were characterized by older age, higher female prevalence, greater disease severity, higher progression rate, and lower survival compared with patients in clusters 2 and 3., Conclusions: Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis spontaneously segregate according to age and sex-specific patterns of neurodegeneration. Some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis showed an early higher impairment of cortical motor neurons with relative sparing of bulbar motor neurons (cluster 3), while others expressed an opposite pattern (cluster 2). Moreover, 31% of patients showed an early simultaneous impairment of cortical and bulbar motor neurons (cluster 1), and they were characterized by higher disease severity and lower survival., (© 2023 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Background : Data from published studies about the effect of HFE polymorphisms on ALS risk, phenotype, and survival are still inconclusive. We aimed at evaluating whether the p.H63D polymorphism is a modifier of phenotype and survival in SOD1 -mutated patients. Methods : We included 183 SOD1 -mutated ALS patients. Mutations were classified as severe or mild according to the median survival of the study population. Patients were screened for the HFE p.H63D polymorphism. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier modeling, and differences were measured by the log-rank test. Multivariable analysis was performed with the Cox proportional hazards model (stepwise backward). Results : SOD1 severe mutation carriers show more frequent familial history for ALS and shorter survival compared to mild mutation carriers. Carriers and non-carriers of the p.H63D polymorphism did not differ in terms of sex ratio, frequency of positive familial history, age at onset, and bulbar/spinal ratio. In univariate and in Cox multivariable analysis using sex, age at onset, site of onset, family history, country of origin, and mutation severity as covariates, p.H63D carriers had a longer survival ( p = 0.034 and p = 0.004). Conclusions : We found that SOD1 -mutated ALS patients carrying the p.H63D HFE polymorphism have a longer survival compared to non-carriers, independently of sex, age and site of onset, family history, nation of origin, and severity of mutations, suggesting a possible role as disease progression modifier for the p.H63D HFE polymorphism in SOD1 -ALS., Competing Interests: Antonio Canosa serves on the Editorial Board of Biomedicines and serves as Guest Editor for the Special Issues &lsquo;Recent Advances in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Genetics and Pathophysiology&rsquo; and &lsquo;Recent Advances in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Genetics and Pathophysiology 2.0&prime; of Biomedicines. Andrea Calvo received a research grant from Cytokinetics. Adriano Chi&ograve; serves on scientific advisory boards for Mitsubishi Tanabe, Roche, Biogen, Cytokinetics, Denali, and AveXis, and received a research grant from Italfarmaco. Jessica Mandrioli received research support from Pfizer. The other authors have no conflict of interest relevant for the manuscript.

Background and Purpose: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. RNS60 is an immunomodulatory and neuroprotective investigational product that has shown efficacy in animal models of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. Its administration has been safe and well tolerated in ALS subjects in previous early phase trials., Methods: This was a phase II, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Participants diagnosed with definite, probable or probable laboratory-supported ALS were assigned to receive RNS60 or placebo administered for 24 weeks intravenously (375 ml) once a week and via nebulization (4 ml/day) on non-infusion days, followed by an additional 24 weeks off-treatment. The primary objective was to measure the effects of RNS60 treatment on selected biomarkers of inflammation and neurodegeneration in peripheral blood. Secondary objectives were to measure the effect of RNS60 on functional impairment (ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised), a measure of self-sufficiency, respiratory function (forced vital capacity, FVC), quality of life (ALS Assessment Questionnaire-40, ALSAQ-40) and survival. Tolerability and safety were assessed., Results: Seventy-four participants were assigned to RNS60 and 73 to placebo. Assessed biomarkers did not differ between arms. The mean rate of decline in FVC and the eating and drinking domain of ALSAQ-40 was slower in the RNS60 arm (FVC, difference 0.41 per week, standard error 0.16, p = 0.0101; ALSAQ-40, difference -0.19 per week, standard error 0.10, p = 0.0319). Adverse events were similar in the two arms. In a post hoc analysis, neurofilament light chain increased over time in bulbar onset placebo participants whilst remaining stable in those treated with RNS60., Conclusions: The positive effects of RNS60 on selected measures of respiratory and bulbar function warrant further investigation., (© 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.)

Background: Natural history of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in adult age has not been fully elucidated yet, including factors predicting disease progression and response to treatments. Aim of this retrospective, cross-sectional study, is to investigate motor function across different ages, disease patterns and gender in adult SMA untreated patients., Methods: Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) clinical and molecular diagnosis of SMA2, SMA3 or SMA4 and (2) clinical assessments performed in adult age (>18 years)., Results: We included 64 (38.8%) females and 101 (61.2%) males (p=0.0025), among which 21 (12.7%) SMA2, 141 (85.5%) SMA3 and 3 (1.8%) SMA4. Ratio of sitters/walkers within the SMA3 subgroup was significantly (p=0.016) higher in males (46/38) than in females (19/38). Median age at onset was significantly (p=0.0071) earlier in females (3 years; range 0-16) than in males (4 years; range 0.3-28), especially in patients carrying 4 SMN2 copies. Median Hammersmith Functional Rating Scale Expanded scores were significantly (p=0.0040) lower in males (16, range 0-64) than in females (40, range 0-62); median revised upper limb module scores were not significantly (p=0.059) different between males (24, 0-38) and females (33, range 0-38), although a trend towards worse performance in males was observed. In SMA3 patients carrying three or four SMN2 copies, an effect of female sex in prolonging ambulation was statistically significant (p=0.034)., Conclusions: Our data showed a relevant gender effect on SMA motor function with higher disease severity in males especially in the young adult age and in SMA3 patients., Competing Interests: Competing interests: LM has received honoraria for speaking, advisory boards and compensation for congress participations from Sanofi Genzyme, Roche and Biogen, outside the submitted work. LB participated in advisory boards for PTC Therapeutics, Sarepta Therapeutics, Edgewise Therapeutics, Epirium Bio and has received speaker honoraria from PTC Therapeutics and participated in research sponsored by Santhera Pharmaceuticals. SB has received funds for travel and congress participation from Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen. MG has received honoraria for speaking from Pfizer, Alnylam, Biogen and Sanofi-Aventis and has received financial support for research, not related to the study described in this manuscript, from Sanofi-Aventis. SCP has been Scientific board member for Esperare and Sarepta and PI of clinical trials for Esperare, FibroGen, Wave, Mallinckrodt, Dyne, Adienne. MT has received compensation for congress participations from Roche and Biogen. MC has received honoraria for speaking, advisory boards and compensation for congress participations from Roche and Biogen. RM has received funding for travel, meeting attendance or Advisory Board participation from Alexion, Argenx, Biomarin, Catalyst, SANOFI, Regeneron and UCB. RL reports personal fees from Biogen, Sanofi- Genzyme, Argon Healthcare s.r.l., Amicus Therapeutics s.r.l. and Alfasigma for Advisory Board consultancy and Lecture fees from Dynamicom Education, SIMG Service, Adnkronos salute unipersonale s.r.l. and DOC Congress s.r.l. outside the submitted work. ILS has received compensation for congress and honoraria for speaking from Biogen, Sanofi Genzyme, Roche, and Celgene Bristol Myers Squibb. TM has received honoraria for speaking, advisory boards and compensation for congress participations from Sanofi Genzyme, Roche and Biogen, outside the submitted work. GC has received compensation for participation ad advisory board for Roche, Sarepta and Italfarmaco. EP reports personal fees from Sarepta, grants and non-financial support from Santhera, personal fees and nonfinancial support from PTC Pharmaceuticals, non-financial support from Genzyme, personal fees from Roche, outside the submitted work., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Unconventional magnetic resonance imaging studies of the brainstem have recently acquired a growing interest in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology since they provide a unique opportunity to evaluate motor tract degeneration and bulbar lower motor neuron involvement. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of brainstem structures as accurate biomarkers of disease severity and predictors of survival., Materials and Methods: A total of 60 ALS patients and 30 healthy controls subjects (CS) were recruited in this study. Patients were divided in two subgroups according to the onset of the disease: 42 spinal (S-ALS) and 18 bulbar (B-ALS). All subjects underwent 3D-structural MRI. Brainstem volume both of the entire cohort of ALS patients and S-ALS and B-ALS onset were compared with those of CS. In addition the two ALS subgroups were tested for differences in brainstem volumes. Volumetric, vertex-wise, and voxel-based approaches were implemented to assess correlations between MR structural features and clinical characteristics expressed as ALSFRS-r and its bulbar (ALSFSR-r-B) and spinal subscores (ALSFSR-r-S). ROC curves were performed to test the accuracy of midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata volumes able to discriminate patients dichotomized into long and short survivors by using Two-Steps cluster analysis. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were carried out to test the prognostic role of brainstem structures' volume, trichotomized by applying a k-means clustering algorithm., Results: Both the entire cohort of ALS patients and B-ALS and S-ALS showed significant lower volumes of both medulla oblongata and pons compared to CS. Furthermore, B-ALS showed a significant lower volume of medulla oblongata, compared to S-ALS. Lower score of ALSFRS-r correlated to atrophy in the anterior compartment of midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, as well as in the posterior portion of only this latter region. ALSFSR-r-S positively correlated with shape deformation and density reduction of the anterior portion of the entire brainstem, along the corticospinal tracts. ALSFSR-r-B instead showed a positive correlation with shape deformation of the floor of the fourth ventricle in the medulla oblongata and the crus cerebri in the midbrain. Only medulla oblongata volume demonstrated a significant accuracy to discriminate long and short survivors ALS patients (ROC AUC 0.76, p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analysis confirmed the survival predictive role of the medulla oblongata (log rank test p: 0.003)., Discussions: Our findings suggest that brainstem volume may reflect the impairment of corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts as well as lower bulbar motor neurons. Furthermore, medulla oblongata could be used as an early predictor of survival in ALS patients., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To estimate King's college clinical stage progression rate (ΔKC) at first clinical evaluation in order to define its predictive and prognostic role on survival in a large cohort of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients., Methods: The ΔKC was calculated with the following formula: 0 - KC clinical stage at first clinical evaluation/disease duration from onset to first evaluation, and each result was reported as absolute value. All the evaluations were performed in two cohorts: one from our tertiary centre for motor neuron disease and the other one from a pooled resource open-access ALS clinical trials (PRO-ACT) database. C-statistic was used to evaluate the model discrimination of survival at different time points (1-3 years). Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify factors associated with survival., Results: ΔKC predicted survival at three years in our centre and in the PRO-ACT cohort (C-statistic 0.83, 95% CI 0.8-0.86, p < 0.0001; 0.7, 95% CI 0.68-0.73, p < 0.0001, respectively). At multivariate analysis, ΔKC was independently associated with survival both in our cohort (HR 3.62 95% CI 2.71-4.83 p = 0.001) and in the PRO-ACT cohort (HR 2.75 95% CI 2.1-3.6 p = 0.001)., Conclusions: Based on our results, ΔKC could be used as a novel measure of disease progression, hence as an accurate predictor of survival in ALS patients. Indeed, greater values of ΔKC were associated with a 3.5-fold higher risk to experience the event, confirming its robust prognostic value., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The p.D91A is one of the most common ALS-causing SOD1 mutations and is known to be either recessive or dominant. The homozygous phenotype is characterized by prolonged survival and slow progression of disease, whereas the affected heterozygous phenotypes can vary. To date, no genetic protective factors located close to SOD1 have been associated with the mild progressive homozygous phenotype. Using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), we characterized a small cohort of sporadic and familial p.D91A- SOD1 heterozygous ( n = 2) or homozygous ( n = 5) ALS patients, to reveal any additional contributing variant in 39 ALS-related genes. We detected unique sets of non-synonymous variants, four of which were of uncertain significance and several in untranslated regions of ALS-related genes. Our results supported an individual oligogenic background underlying both sporadic and familial p.D91A cases irrespective of their p.D91A mutant alleles. We suggest that a comprehensive genomic view of p.D91A- SOD1 ALS patients may be useful in identifying emerging variants and improving disease diagnosis as well as guiding precision medicine.

Background: Edaravone was approved as a new treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although there are different opinions on its effectiveness. Magnetic resonance (MRI) measures appear promising as diagnostic and prognostic indicators of disease. However, published studies on MRI using to monitor treatment efficacy in ALS are lacking., Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate changes in brain MRI measures in patients treated with edaravone., Methods: Thirteen ALS patients assuming edaravone (ALS-EDA) underwent MRI at baseline (T0) and after 6 months (T6) to measure cortical thickness (CT) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter (WM) tracts. MRI data of ALS-EDA were compared at T0 with those of 12 control subjects (CS), and at T6 with those of 11 ALS patients assuming only riluzole (ALS-RIL), extracted from our ALS cohort using a propensity-score-matching. A longitudinal MRI analysis was performed in ALS-EDA between T6 and T0., Results: At T0, ALS-EDA showed a cortical widespread thinning in both hemispheres, particularly in the bilateral precentral gyrus, and a reduction of FA in bilateral corticospinal tracts, in comparison to CS. Thinning in bilateral precentral cortex and significant widespread reduction of FA in several WM tracts were observed in ALS-EDA at T6 compared to T0. At T6, no significant differences in MRI measures of ALS-EDA versus ALS-RIL were found., Conclusions: Patients treated with edaravone showed progression of damage in the motor cortex and several WM tracts, at a six-month follow-up. Moreover, this study showed no evidence of a difference between edaravone and riluzole., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives: Nusinersen was approved as the first disease-modifying therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Our aim was to analyse therapy-related changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum parameters of adult type 2-3 SMA and to correlate biochemical data with motor functional status., Methods: Nine adult SMA type 2-3 patients and ten control subjects without neurodegenerative diseases were included in our single-centre study. Cross-sectional analysis of CSF routine parameters, CSF neurofilament light chain, CSF Tau, CSF phospho-Tau and serum creatinine was performed between SMA patients at baseline (T0) and control subjects. The above-mentioned fluid parameters were longitudinally analysed in the SMA cohort after loading dose (T1) and after four maintenance doses (T2, T3, T4, T5). Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded (HFMSE), Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) and the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) were used to evaluate motor outcomes., Results: Improvements in HFMSE, RULM and 6MWT were observed only after the loading dose of nusinersen. No significant differences in routine CSF parameters and CSF markers of neurodegeneration were found between SMA patients and control subjects. Serum creatinine levels were significantly lower in SMA patients than in control subjects. CSF/serum albumin ratio (Qalb) significantly increased from T0 to each time point, without any further increase after the maintenance doses. Persistent systemic oligoclonal bands (OCBs) were found in five patients from baseline. Three more patients developed persistent systemic OCBs from T1; one patient showed intrathecal OCBSs from baseline to T5. Markers of neurodegeneration did not change during the follow-up and did not correlate with motor scores at baseline and at each timepoint. Serum creatinine levels significantly correlated with HFMSE and RULM at each time point., Conclusions: The increase of the Qalb values and the development of systemic OCBs in some SMA patients could be due to repeated lumbar puncture and to the immunogenic effect of nusinersen. On the other hand, the presence of OCBs in serum and/or CSF at baseline should be further investigated. Furthermore, biomarkers of neurodegeneration did not play a prognostic role in our cohort of adult SMA patients., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the standard procedure for feeding severely dysphagic patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It is associated with prolonged survival and improvement in quality of life. Nasal inspiratory pressure during a sniff (SNIP) is a respiratory test used extensively in ALS for the assessment of inspiratory muscle strength. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of SNIP at baseline to predict PEG placement in ALS. Data from a clinical incident cohort of 179 ALS cases attending the multidisciplinary ALS unit of the University of Bari between April 2006 and December 2012 were retrospectively analysed. At baseline, patients underwent detailed neurological, nutritional and respiratory assessments, including measurements of SNIP and forced vital capacity (FVC). Patients were therefore followed up approximately every three to six months until they were able to attend the centre. The censoring date for the survival analysis was 15 April 2014, with PEG placement as the main outcome. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to examine the association between SNIP and PEG placement, adjusted for possible confounders. During the follow-up period, 75 participants (42%) received PEG implant. PEG placement was more frequent (57% vs. 31%; p = 0.001) and earlier (after 11.6 ± 14.0 months from the first visit, vs. 23.3 ± 15.5 months; p < 0.0001) in the group of patients with baseline SNIP ≤ 40 cm H 2 O. Baseline SNIP was a predictor of PEG placement even after correction for multiple potential confounders (HR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99; p = 0.02). To conclude, the present study showed that SNIP at baseline is an early indicator of disease progression and therefore of the need for enteral nutrition in ALS.

Previous studies have reported an association between anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFα) treatment and central nervous system (CNS) events. We described eight patients presenting with demyelinating CNS events while on treatment with anti-TNFα for autoimmune diseases and followed up for a medium period of 4 years. Four patients presented with isolated demyelinating events, three patients fulfilled the criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS), and one patient showed worsening of pre-existing MS after anti-TNF therapy initiation. All patients except one, showed a good medium-term prognosis. Our observation supports an association between anti-TNFα treatment and demyelinating events and suggests that a prompt discontinuation of the drug may lead to a favorable demyelinating disease outcome., (© 2021. Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose of this Review: This article is a systematic review on the influence pregnancy has on multiple sclerosis and the resulting impact of disease-modifying therapies. Findings: Multiple sclerosis predominantly affects young women with a clinical onset most often during the child-bearing age. The impact of multiple sclerosis and disease-modifying therapies on fertility, pregnancy, fetal outcome, and breastfeeding is a pivotal topic when it comes to clinical practice. The introduction of disease-modifying therapies has changed not only the natural history of the disease but also the perspective of pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis. Family planning requires careful consideration, especially because many disease-modifying drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy. In this article, we review current evidence collected from published literature and drug-specific pregnancy registers on the use of disease-modifying therapies. Additionally, we discuss safety profiles for each drug and correlate them to both risk for the exposed fetus and risk for the mothers interrupting treatments when seeking pregnancy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Simone, Tortorella and Ghirelli.)

Background: Only few epidemiological studies on survival of Lower Motor Neuron (LMN) phenotype (LMNP) are available and with controversial results., Aims: To prospectively evaluate a cohort of LMNP patients and assess the possible contribute on survival or disease's progression according to the presence of subclinical Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) impairment at the diagnosis., Methods: Forty LMNP among 176 consecutive incident ALS cases observed in our tertiary center from the ALS-Apulia Register were enrolled in the study. Each patient underwent to a neurophysiological study with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at diagnosis. The primary outcome was the impact of abnormalities at TMS on survival time (from symptoms onset or diagnosis to death, tracheostomy or 30 June 2020, as censoring time). Secondary outcome was time to reach the King's 4 stage., Results: Approximately one half of LMNP reached the primary outcome during the study period. No difference was found in median survival times and 4 years survival rates according to the presence of TMS impairment. On the other hand, a shorter median time to reach the King's 4 from onset was observed in the group of LMNP with TMS abnormalities (16 months versus 50 months; p = 0.008). Consistently, TMS abnormalities were associated with a 3.5 times higher risk for reaching King's 4 stage (Hazard Ratio: 3.5; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.1-10.9; p = 0.03)., Conclusion: Our data suggest a role of TMS abnormalities as potential indicator of disease progression and multidistrectual involvement in patients with pure clinical LMN phenotype at the diagnosis., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Nusinersen was approved as the first treatment for all types of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), including adults with SMA types 2 and 3. Robust biomarkers of treatment response in SMA adults are lacking. Our aim was to examine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-β40 (Aβ40) and amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) peptides as biomarkers of treatment response., Methods: Eight patients with SMA types 2 and 3 were recruited consecutively in a single-center study. CSF was sampled at baseline, after a loading dose, and after three maintenance doses. Levels of Aβ42 and Aβ40 were evaluated for each CSF sampling. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test was used to detect longitudinal changes., Results: CSF levels of Aβ42 increased from baseline to day 420 (95% confidence interval, P = .018), with a significant increase at days 180 and 420 compared with days 0 and 300, respectively (95% confidence interval, P = .012 and P = .018)., Discussion: The maintenance and promotion of wellness of residual motor neurons mediated by the restored level of SMN protein due to nusinersen could result in an increased level of amyloid peptides., (© 2021 The Authors. Muscle & Nerve published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial disease characterized by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. In the majority of cases, ALS is sporadic, whereas familial forms occur in less than 10% of patients. Herein, we present the results of molecular analyses performed in a large cohort of Italian ALS patients, focusing on novel and already described variations in ALS-linked genes. Our analysis revealed that more than 10% of tested patients carried a mutation in one of the major ALS genes, with C9orf72 hexanucleotide expansion being the most common mutation. In addition, our study confirmed a significant association between ALS patients carrying the ATNX-1 intermediate repeat and the pathological C9orf72 expansion, supporting the involvement of this risk factor in neuronal degeneration. Overall, our study broadens the known mutational spectrum in ALS and provides new insights for a more accurate view of the genetic pattern of the disease., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the involvement of lower motor neuron is well defined by electromyography, whereas a reliable marker of upper motor neuron (UMN) damage still lacks. Aim of the study was to estimate the role of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-induced motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) as marker of subclinical UMN involvement., Methods: Clinical evidence of UMN damage was prospectively compared to MEPs in 176 ALS patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2014, and classified according to existing diagnostic criteria. Finally, we evaluated the appearance of clinical UMN signs and the level of diagnostic certainty in ALS after 1 year of follow-up., Results: At presentation, abnormal MEPs were found in 80% of patients with clinical evidence of UMN damage and in 72% of patients without clinical involvement of UMN. Among these latter, 61% showed appearance of UMN clinical signs after 1 year. Approximately 70% of patients with clinical lower motor neuron (LMN) phenotype showed MEP abnormalities, while they were considered not classifiable ALS according to Airlie house or Awaji criteria. Furthermore, abnormal MEPs in absence of clinical UMN signs at baseline were found in 80% of spinal ALS that after 1-year developed UMN signs at limbs, compared to 50% of bulbar ALS., Conclusions: TMS is a reliable marker of subclinical UMN damage particularly among LMN phenotype and ensure an early ALS diagnosis in ~ 70% of such cases.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to analyze the ALS disease progression and respiratory function of Italian patients treated with edaravone (EVN), as well as the adherence to, and the effects of, the therapy., Methods: We performed an observational study of patients treated with EVN from May 2017 to May 2019, in 39 Italian ALS Centers. Taking into account ALS patients with at least 12 months of EVN treatment, we compared the decline of ALSFRS-R and FVC with a group of matched historical controls from the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials (PRO-ACT) database, using both descriptive and survival analysis approaches., Results: A total of 331 ALS Italian patients treated with EVN and 290 matched historical controls were recruited in this study. No significant differences on disease progression or respiratory function were found comparing the two cohorts in both descriptive and survival analyses. The EVN treatment was overall well tolerated., Conclusions: The study showed that EVN treatment was well tolerated. No significant differences were reported in ALS patients treated and not treated with EVN, in terms of both disease progression and respiratory function. These findings prove that further studies are required to better clarify whether EVN could be considered an effective treatment for ALS disease.

Objective: To retrospectively investigate safety and efficacy of nusinersen in a large cohort of adult Italian patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)., Methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) clinical and molecular diagnosis of SMA2 or SMA3; (2) nusinersen treatment started in adult age (>18 years); (3) clinical data available at least at baseline (T0-beginning of treatment) and 6 months (T6)., Results: We included 116 patients (13 SMA2 and 103 SMA3) with median age at first administration of 34 years (range 18-72). The Hammersmith Functional Rating Scale Expanded (HFMSE) in patients with SMA3 increased significantly from baseline to T6 (median change +1 point, p<0.0001), T10 (+2, p<0.0001) and T14 (+3, p<0.0001). HFMSE changes were independently significant in SMA3 sitter and walker subgroups. The Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) in SMA3 significantly improved between T0 and T14 (median +0.5, p=0.012), with most of the benefit observed in sitters (+2, p=0.018). Conversely, patients with SMA2 had no significant changes of median HFMSE and RULM between T0 and the following time points, although a trend for improvement of RULM was observed in those with some residual baseline function. The rate of patients showing clinically meaningful improvements (as defined during clinical trials) increased from 53% to 69% from T6 to T14., Conclusions: Our data provide further evidence of nusinersen safety and efficacy in adult SMA2 and SMA3, with the latter appearing to be cumulative over time. In patients with extremely advanced disease, effects on residual motor function are less clear., Competing Interests: Competing interests: LM has received honoraria for speaking and compensation for congress participations from: Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen. LB reports speaker honoraria from PTC Therapeutics, participation in advisory boards for PTC Therapeutics and Sarepta Therapeutics and participation in research sponsored by Santhera Pharmaceuticals. SB received funds for travel and congress participation from Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen. LP has received compensation for congress participations from: Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen. MG received honoraria for speaking and grants to attend scientific meetings from Sanofi-Genzyme and Pfizer. VB compensation for congress participations from Biogen and Sanofi Genzyme. LC received compensation for congress participations from Biogen. RP has received compensation for congress participation from Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen. RT has received compensation for congress participations from Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen and Roche. ES has received compensation for congress participations from: Biogen. GR has received compensation for congress participations from Sanofi Genzyme, CSL Behring, Santhera and Biogen. RZ has received funds for travel and congress participation from Biogen. MS has received speaker’s honoraria from ITALFARMACO, PIAM, Boheringer and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. LP received compensation for congress participations from Biogen Inc, Italy. AS received honoraria for speaking and grants to attend scientific meetings from Sanofi-Genzyme, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Akcea Therapeutics and Pfizer. LV has received compensation for congress participation from Sanofi Genzyme and Biogen. RM received compensation for participating on advisory boards in relation to MG clinical trial design, congress participations and research support in the last 5 years from: Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, ARGENX Pharma, Biomarin. RL has received: Lecture fees from LT3 s.r.l., NICO s.r.l., SUMMEET s.r.l. and GALEN SYMPOSION s.r.o.; fees for consultancy (Advisory Board) from LT3 s.r.l. and PREX s.r.l.; fees for scientific meeting organization from I & C s.r.l.; Chair meeting fees from PLANNING CONGRESSI s.r.l. GC in the last two years has received compensation for advisory board compensation from: Sanofi Genzyme, Spark, Roche, Lupin and Santhera, congress participations from: Sanofi Genzyme, CSL Behring, Sarepta and Biogen. ILS received compensation for congress participation from Biogen, Italy. TM has received compensation for Scientific Board participations from Sanofi Genzyme; for congress participation from Biogen. GC received compensation for participation ad advisory board for Roche, Sarepta and Italfarmaco. EP reports personal fees from Sarepta, grants and non-financial support from Santhera, personal fees and non-financial support from PTC Pharmaceuticals, non-financial support from Genzyme, personal fees from Roche, outside the submitted work., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) constitutes a group of heterogeneous hereditary motor and sensor neuropathies. Mutations in the periaxin (PRX) gene cause CMT4F with an autosomal recessive early-onset demyelinating neuropathy and are extremely rare in a non-Romani white population., Methods: We report on a 66-year-old Italian man presenting with slowly progressive and late-onset demyelinating CMT. The molecular analysis was performed using a custom panel containing 39 genes associated with the CMT phenotype., Results: The patient harbored a homozygous PRX 71-nucleotide deletion (c.3286&#95;3356del71, I1096fsX17)., Conclusions: This is the first report that describes such a genetic mutation in a population of non-Romani origin., (© 2020 European Academy of Neurology.)

Objective : Sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP), a useful tool for the assessment of diaphragm function in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), is usually performed together with lung function tests. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether SNIP results are influenced by the order of performance of the tests. Methods : 103 consecutive patients (65% males, 80% spinal onset) were recruited. The highest value of up to 10 sniffs, was recorded before (SNIPT0) and after (SNIPT1) the assessment of lung function, peak cough (PCF), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Results : Mean and median values were respectively 31.10 and 26.00 cm H 2 O for SNIPT0 and 28.93 and 25.00 cm H 2 O for SNIPT1 ( p  < 0.001). The median value of (SNIPT1 - SNIPT0)/SNIPT0% was -7.10. Patients showing post lung function SNIP values above the median were included in Group 1 (51%), the others in group 2 (49%). Group 2 showed more severe baseline ventilatory restriction and reduction in PCF than Group 1. Positive direct relationships were found between SNIPT0 and SNIPT1 (coefficient β  = 0.95, p  < 0.001), and forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume at one second. Conclusions : 50/103(49%) patients with ALS show a significant reduction in SNIP when assessed shortly after the performance of lung function tests. These patients suffer from more severe ventilatory restriction than patients not showing the reduction. Our findings suggest standardizing the order of respiratory tests during the follow up in order to avoid to misestimate the real strength of inspiratory muscles.

Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal progressive neurological disorder characterised by a selective degeneration of motor neurons (MNs). Stem cell transplantation is considered as a promising strategy in neurological disorders therapy and the possibility of inducing bone marrow cells (BMCs) to circulate in the peripheral blood is suggested to investigate stem cells migration in degenerated ALS nerve tissues where potentially repair MN damage. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a growth factor which stimulates haematopoietic progenitor cells, mobilises BMCs into injured brain and it is itself a neurotrophic factor for MN. G-CSF safety in humans has been demonstrated and many observations suggest that it may affect neural cells. Therefore, we decided to use G-CSF to mobilise BMCs into the peripheral circulation in patients with ALS, planning a clinical trial to evaluate the effect of G-CSF administration in ALS patients compared with placebo., Methods and Analysis: STEMALS-II is a phase II multicentre, randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group clinical trial on G-CSF (filgrastim) and mannitol in ALS patients. Specifically, we investigate safety, tolerability and efficacy of four repeated courses of intravenous G-CSF and mannitol administered in 76 ALS patients in comparison with placebo (indistinguishable glucose solution 5%). We determine increase of G-CSF levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid as CD34 + cells and leucocyte count after treatment; reduction in ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised Score, forced vital capacity, Scale for Testing Muscle Strength Score and quality of life; the adverse events/reactions during the treatment; changes in neuroinflammation biomarkers before and after treatment., Ethics and Dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria 'Città della Salute e della Scienza', Torino, Italy. Results will be presented during scientific symposia or published in scientific journals., Trial Registration Number: Eudract 2014-002228-28., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: There are conflicting data on nutritional factors influencing survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement. We performed an observational cross-sectional study evaluating body mass index (BMI) categories and cholesterol levels as prognostic factors for survival after PEG. Moreover, we assessed body composition in a subgroup of patients to better explain the influence of BMI on survival. Methods: Neurological and nutritional parameters were evaluated at the time of PEG implantation in 47 consecutive patients. Moreover, body composition was evaluated in a subgroup of 22 patients by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Survival was calculated as the time from the PEG placement to death. Results: Underweight patients had a significantly increased risk of death as compared to normal-weight patients using Cox regression analysis [HR = 3.37 (1.29-8.81); p  = 0.04]. Similarly, older age at the onset of symptoms significantly increased the risk of death [HR = 1.07 (1.02-1.12); p  = 0.001]. Neither overweight/obesity nor hypercholesterolemia affected survival. All ALS patients showed an altered body composition compared to the general population. In addition, a BMI <18.5 kg/m 2 identified patients with a significant reduction of body cell mass (BCM) and phase angle (PhA) compared to patients with normal BMI taken as the reference value. Conclusions: In the later stages of the disease, only a BMI < 18.5 kg/m 2 and older age at symptom onset had a prognostic value on survival. Dyslipidemia did not affect survival. The low BCM and PhA characterizing underweight patients support the role of BMI as a predictor of survival.

Importance: Neurofilament light protein (NfL) is elevated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a number of neurological conditions compared with healthy controls (HC) and is a candidate biomarker for neuroaxonal damage. The influence of age and sex is largely unknown, and levels across neurological disorders have not been compared systematically to date., Objectives: To assess the associations of age, sex, and diagnosis with NfL in CSF (cNfL) and to evaluate its potential in discriminating clinically similar conditions., Data Sources: PubMed was searched for studies published between January 1, 2006, and January 1, 2016, reporting cNfL levels (using the search terms neurofilament light and cerebrospinal fluid) in neurological or psychiatric conditions and/or in HC., Study Selection: Studies reporting NfL levels measured in lumbar CSF using a commercially available immunoassay, as well as age and sex., Data Extraction and Synthesis: Individual-level data were requested from study authors. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the fixed effects of age, sex, and diagnosis on log-transformed NfL levels, with cohort of origin modeled as a random intercept., Main Outcome and Measure: The cNfL levels adjusted for age and sex across diagnoses., Results: Data were collected for 10 059 individuals (mean [SD] age, 59.7 [18.8] years; 54.1% female). Thirty-five diagnoses were identified, including inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (n = 2795), dementias and predementia stages (n = 4284), parkinsonian disorders (n = 984), and HC (n = 1332). The cNfL was elevated compared with HC in a majority of neurological conditions studied. Highest levels were observed in cognitively impaired HIV-positive individuals (iHIV), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and Huntington disease. In 33.3% of diagnoses, including HC, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease (AD), and Parkinson disease (PD), cNfL was higher in men than women. The cNfL increased with age in HC and a majority of neurological conditions, although the association was strongest in HC. The cNfL overlapped in most clinically similar diagnoses except for FTD and iHIV, which segregated from other dementias, and PD, which segregated from atypical parkinsonian syndromes., Conclusions and Relevance: These data support the use of cNfL as a biomarker of neuroaxonal damage and indicate that age-specific and sex-specific (and in some cases disease-specific) reference values may be needed. The cNfL has potential to assist the differentiation of FTD from AD and PD from atypical parkinsonian syndromes.

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), memory deficits may be primary or secondary to executive dysfunction. We assessed episodic memory and executive function of nondemented ALS patients, comparing episodic memory profiles and learning rates of ALS patients with those of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects and cognitively healthy controls (HC). In a multidisciplinary tertiary centre for motor neuron disease, 72 nondemented ALS patients, 57 amnestic MCI (aMCI), 89 single non amnestic MCI with compromised executive functions (dysexecutive MCI), and 190 HC were enrolled. They were screened using the Frontal Assessment Battery and Mini Mental State Examination. Episodic memory performances and learning rates were tested using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Episodic memory dysfunction (immediate recall) was found in 14 ALS patients (19.4%). The ALS group had lower performance than HC on immediate recall, without differences in learning rate, and better performance than aMCI subjects on all RAVLT measures. Compared to dysexecutive MCI subjects, ALS patients had only better verbal learning abilities. ALS patients with executive dysfunction had a lower score on immediate and delayed recalls, verbal learning, and primacy effect than ALS patients without executive dysfunction. The immediate recall among couples of diagnostic groups differed in a statistically significant way except for the ALS/dysexecutive MCI groups. In ALS patients, episodic memory performances and learning rates appeared to be better than in aMCI subjects and similar to those with dysexecutive MCI, suggesting also a secondary functional damage due to executive impairment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage (c-SAH) is an infrequent condition with variable causes. c-SAH concomitant to acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is even less frequent, and the relationship between the two conditions remains unclear., Methods: Between January 2016 and January 2018, we treated four patients who were referred to our stroke unit with ischemic stroke and concomitant nontraumatic c-SAH. The patients underwent an extensive diagnostic workup, including digital subtraction angiography (DSA)., Results: All four patients developed acute focal neurological symptoms with restricted MRI diffusion in congruent areas. In three of the patients, infarcts were in a border zone between the main cerebral arteries and c-SAH was nearby. The fourth patient showed a small cortical infarct, and c-SAH was in a border zone territory of the contralateral hemisphere. An embolic source was discovered or strongly suspected in all cases. One patient was treated with intravenous thrombolysis, but this treatment was not related to c-SAH. None of the four patients showed microbleeds or further cortical siderosis, thus excluding cerebral amyloid angiopathy. In addition, DSA did not show signs of vasculitis, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, or intracranial arterial dissection., Conclusions: We proposed the embolism or hemodynamic changes of the border zone arterioles as a unifying pathogenetic hypothesis of coexisting c-SAH and AIS.

Introduction: Disruptions of proteasome and autophagy systems are central events in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and support the urgent need to find therapeutic compounds targeting these processes. The heat shock protein B8 (HSPB8) recognises and promotes the autophagy-mediated removal of misfolded mutant SOD1 and TDP-43 fragments from ALS motor neurons (MNs), as well as aggregating species of dipeptides produced in C9ORF72-related diseases. In ALS-SOD1 mice and in human ALS autopsy specimens, HSPB8 is highly expressed in spinal cord MNs that survive at the end stage of disease. Moreover, the HSPB8-BAG3-HSP70 complex maintains granulostasis, which avoids conversion of dynamic stress granules (SGs) into aggregation-prone assemblies. We will perform a randomised clinical trial (RCT) with colchicine, which enhances the expression of HSPB8 and of several autophagy players, blocking TDP-43 accumulation and exerting crucial activities for MNs function., Methods and Analysis: Colchicine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Co-ALS) is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase II RCT. ALS patients will be enrolled in three groups (placebo, colchicine 0.01 mg/day and colchicine 0.005 mg/day) of 18 subjects treated with riluzole; treatment will last 30 weeks, and follow-up will last 24 weeks. The primary aim is to assess whether colchicine decreases disease progression as measured by ALS Functional Rating Scale - Revised (ALSFRS-R) at baseline and at treatment end. Secondary aims include assessment of (1) safety and tolerability of Colchicine in patiets with ALS; (2) changes in cellular activity (autophagy, protein aggregation, and SG and exosome secretion) and in biomarkers of disease progression (neurofilaments); (3) survival and respiratory function and (4) quality of life. Preclinical studies with a full assessment of autophagy and neuroinflammation biomarkers in fibroblasts, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymphoblasts will be conducted in parallel with clinic assessment to optimise time and resources., Ethics and Dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Area Vasta Emilia Nord and by Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (EUDRACT N.2017-004459-21) based on the Declaration of Helsinki. This research protocol was written without patient involvement. Patients' association will be involved in disseminating the study design and results. Results will be presented during scientific symposia or published in scientific journals., Trial Registration Number: EUDRACT 2017-004459-21 ; NCT03693781; Pre-results., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Epidemiological evidence suggests a strict correlation between sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and cerebrovascular disorders. Leukoaraiosis represents a diffuse alteration of the periventricular and subcortical white matter. The aim of our study was to verify if the presence of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) was higher in patients affected by SSNHL compared to controls and evaluate the correlation between WMH and the cardiovascular risk factors, hearing level, and the response to therapy in SSNHL patients. The study group included 36 subjects affected by unilateral SSNHL. Thirty-six age- and sex-matched normal subjects with a negative history of SSNHL were used as controls. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (1.5 Tesla GE Signa) and the extent of leukoaraiosis was assessed with the Fazekas scale. The results of the present study demonstrate a high prevalence of WMH in SSNHL patients compared to controls confirming the hypothesis of a vascular impairment in SSNHL patients. The higher recovery rate in patients with greater periventricular white matter hyperintensity (PWMH) may suggest a vascular etiology that is still responsive to medical treatment. We aim to expand both the number of patients and the controls to avoid the limitation of the still small number to warrant solid scientific conclusions.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00288.].

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that still lacks reliable diagnostic biomarkers. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of CSF total Tau (t-Tau), phospho-Tau (p-Tau) and p-Tau/t-Tau ratio in ALS patients using CSF neurofilament light (NFL) as the reference biomarker., Methods: Eighty-five incident ALS, 30 ALS-mimicking (AM) diseases and 51 other non-neurodegenerative diseases (ONND) were included in the study., Results: ALS patients had higher levels of CSF t-Tau and lower p-Tau/t-Tau ratio than AM (p = 0.005 and p = 0.006) and ONND (p < 0.001). CSF t-Tau levels discriminated ALS from AM with a sensitivity of 69% and specificity of 60%, and from ONND with a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 51%. These values were lower than the accuracy of CSF NFL in ALS (sensitivity 86% and specificity 87% in distinguishing ALS from AM and sensitivity 83% and specificity 75% from ONND); CSF t-Tau correlated with progression rate and SNIP. CSF p-Tau did not show relation with any ALS clinical features. CSF NFL significantly correlated with all considered clinical parameters. High levels of CSF t-Tau and NFL were related to poor survival., Conclusion: CSF t-Tau showed no reliable diagnostic significance but the relation between the high levels of CSF t-Tau and short survival suggests the potential prognostic role of this biomarker in ALS. However, CSF NFL was confirmed to be the most reliable and efficient tool for diagnosis and prediction of clinical progression and survival in ALS patients.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease. While genetics and other factors contribute to ALS pathogenesis, critical knowledge is still missing and validated biomarkers for monitoring the disease activity have not yet been identified. To address those aspects we carried out this study with the primary aim of identifying possible miRNAs/mRNAs dysregulation associated with the sporadic form of the disease (sALS). Additionally, we explored miRNAs as modulating factors of the observed clinical features. Study included 56 sALS and 20 healthy controls (HCs). We analyzed the peripheral blood samples of sALS patients and HCs with a high-throughput next-generation sequencing followed by an integrated bioinformatics/biostatistics analysis. Results showed that 38 miRNAs (let-7a-5p, let-7d-5p, let-7f-5p, let-7g-5p, let-7i-5p, miR-103a-3p, miR-106b-3p, miR-128-3p, miR-130a-3p, miR-130b-3p, miR-144-5p, miR-148a-3p, miR-148b-3p, miR-15a-5p, miR-15b-5p, miR-151a-5p, miR-151b, miR-16-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-186-5p, miR-22-3p, miR-221-3p, miR-223-3p, miR-23a-3p, miR-26a-5p, miR-26b-5p, miR-27b-3p, miR-28-3p, miR-30b-5p, miR-30c-5p, miR-342-3p, miR-425-5p, miR-451a, miR-532-5p, miR-550a-3p, miR-584-5p, miR-93-5p) were significantly downregulated in sALS. We also found that different miRNAs profiles characterized the bulbar/spinal onset and the progression rate. This observation supports the hypothesis that miRNAs may impact the phenotypic expression of the disease. Genes known to be associated with ALS (e.g., PARK7, C9orf72, ALS2, MATR3, SPG11, ATXN2 ) were confirmed to be dysregulated in our study. We also identified other potential candidate genes like LGALS3 (implicated in neuroinflammation) and PRKCD (activated in mitochondrial-induced apoptosis). Some of the downregulated genes are involved in molecular bindings to ions (i.e., metals, zinc, magnesium) and in ions-related functions. The genes that we found upregulated were involved in the immune response, oxidation-reduction, and apoptosis. These findings may have important implication for the monitoring, e.g., of sALS progression and therefore represent a significant advance in the elucidation of the disease's underlying molecular mechanisms. The extensive multidisciplinary approach we applied in this study was critically important for its success, especially in complex disorders such as sALS, wherein access to genetic background is a major limitation.

Objective: To evaluate whether the presence of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in an early stage of the disease influences survival in a population-based incident cohort of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)., Methods: Incident ALS cases, diagnosed according to El Escorial criteria, were enrolled from a prospective population-based registry in Puglia, Southern Italy. The Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS), a self-administered questionnaire, was used to evaluate PBA. Total scores range from 7 to 35. A score ≥13 was used to identify PBA. Cox proportional hazard models were used for survival analysis. The modified C-statistic for censored survival data was used for models' discrimination. RECursive Partitioning and AMalgamation (RECPAM) analysis was used to identify subgroups of patients with different patterns of risk, depending on baseline characteristics., Results: We enrolled 94 sporadic ALS, median age of 64 years (range: 26-80). At the censoring date, 65 of 94 (69.2%), 39 of 60 (65.0%), and 26 of 34 (76.5%) patients reached the outcome (tracheotomy/death), in the whole, non-PBA and in the PBA groups, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for the two subgroups were not significantly different (log-rank test: 1.3, P = .25). The discrimination ability of a multivariable model with demographic and clinical variables of interest was not improved by adding PBA. In the RECPAM analysis, ALSFRSr and the total score of CNS-LS scale (

To identify novel genes associated with ALS, we undertook two lines of investigation. We carried out a genome-wide association study comparing 20,806 ALS cases and 59,804 controls. Independently, we performed a rare variant burden analysis comparing 1,138 index familial ALS cases and 19,494 controls. Through both approaches, we identified kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) as a novel gene associated with ALS. Interestingly, mutations predominantly in the N-terminal motor domain of KIF5A are causative for two neurodegenerative diseases: hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG10) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 (CMT2). In contrast, ALS-associated mutations are primarily located at the C-terminal cargo-binding tail domain and patients harboring loss-of-function mutations displayed an extended survival relative to typical ALS cases. Taken together, these results broaden the phenotype spectrum resulting from mutations in KIF5A and strengthen the role of cytoskeletal defects in the pathogenesis of ALS., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Riluzole is the first drug approved to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recently, an oral suspension (OS) of riluzole was made available. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the adherence to 2 formulations of riluzole in patients with ALS., Patients and Methods: We enrolled 45 consecutive patients with ALS. At disease diagnosis, riluzole was prescribed in 2 different formulations depending on the severity of dysphagia (27/45 patients received tablets and 18/45 patients received OS). Side effects (SEs) and treatment adherence were investigated using a clinical questionnaire including the ©Morisky 8-item Medication Adherence Questionnaire., Results: Gastroenteric complaints were the most frequent SEs (58% in the tablet group and 48% in the OS group), followed by those at the nervous system (29% and 40%, respectively). No serious SEs related to treatment were reported. The rate of adherence to riluzole was independent of the formulation of the drug and consistent with other medications assumed for comorbidities ( p =0.004). In the tablet group, low adherence was caused by SEs in 55.6% and by dysphagia in 44.4% of patients. In the OS group, SEs caused low adherence in 75% of patients. Independently of the drug formulation, patients with high or medium adherence to riluzole had a higher progression rate ( p =0.002 and p =0.009, respectively) and a shorter time to generalization (TTG; p =0.01), compared to those with low adherence., Conclusion: Gastroenteric symptoms were the most frequent SE related to tablet as well as OS. The rate of adherence was independent of the formulation of riluzole and the number of medications assumed for comorbidities, and it was consistent with the severity of the disease. The low adherence was caused by dysphagia and SEs in the tablet group, whereas it was caused prevalently by SEs in the OS group., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

The association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and hereditary and sporadic demyelinating disorders of the peripheral nervous system is extremely rare. We herein report a case of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1B with p.Val102fs mutation in the MPZ gene that developed relapsing remitting MS.